Perspectives on the regulation of working conditions in times of globalization

Doctoral Thesis

This book is an endeavor to expose the multifariousness of the challenges for contemporary countries to legislate on domestic working conditions under the combined effects of deepening globalization and characteristics of domestic legal systems. Five topical subjects are reflected on: a general discussion over the foundation and feasibility of regulating working conditions in globalization, followed by four parallel studies that respectively concentrate on China’s legislation on construction safety, Germany’s minimum wage law, the parental leave policies of the US and Sweden, and Great Britain’s experiences with employee participation. By dissecting the situations in which divergent stances, defective mechanisms and practical straits are entangled, the crisis of labor legislation is concretized into specific problems while simultaneously opportunities for change are uncovered. It is argued that the traditional ‘zero-sum’ approach to understanding the tension between labor...Show moreThis book is an endeavor to expose the multifariousness of the challenges for contemporary countries to legislate on domestic working conditions under the combined effects of deepening globalization and characteristics of domestic legal systems. Five topical subjects are reflected on: a general discussion over the foundation and feasibility of regulating working conditions in globalization, followed by four parallel studies that respectively concentrate on China’s legislation on construction safety, Germany’s minimum wage law, the parental leave policies of the US and Sweden, and Great Britain’s experiences with employee participation. By dissecting the situations in which divergent stances, defective mechanisms and practical straits are entangled, the crisis of labor legislation is concretized into specific problems while simultaneously opportunities for change are uncovered. It is argued that the traditional ‘zero-sum’ approach to understanding the tension between labor protection and the realization of economic objectives should be abandoned. The potential of decent working conditions to boost productivity and to facilitate long-term cooperation with other countries needs to be recognized. There might be objective barriers prohibiting the law from responding effectively to the changing economic world. However, the legislation should endeavor to guide relevant social actors and create conditions for surmounting these barriers. Show less

Working Conditions

Globalization

Employee Participation